Impressing Renoir

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Caption:

The 220-km-diameter Renoir basin has a well-preserved peak ring, within which are situated the two flooded craters near the center of this image. Both craters formed after Renoir but before the basin interior was resurfaced by smooth plains . Subsequent tectonic activity was then responsible for the sinuous lobate scarp that cross-cuts the center crater. Together, impact cratering, volcanism, and tectonism have helped shape the Renoir basin, substantially modifying its original form.

This image was acquired as a high-resolution targeted observation. Targeted observations are images of a small area on Mercury's surface at resolutions much higher than the 200-meter/pixel morphology base map. It is not possible to cover all of Mercury's surface at this high resolution, but typically several areas of high scientific interest are imaged in this mode each week.

Date acquired: February 15, 2013
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 3213976
Image ID: 3522122
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Center Latitude: -19.18°
Center Longitude: 307.54° E
Resolution: 100 meters/pixel
Scale: The crater in the center of the image is approximately 30 km (19 mi.) in diameter
Incidence Angle: 54.7°
Emission Angle: 25.9°
Phase Angle: 80.6°
(North is down in this image.)

Background Info:

The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. MESSENGER acquired over 150,000 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is capable of continuing orbital operations until early 2015.

For information regarding the use of images, see the MESSENGER image use policy .

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